Digital cameras are adapted to capture and store image data in digital form. Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a typical digital camera 100 is shown. An image acquisition unit 102 acquires image data, and converts it to a digital signal by itself or in conjunction with a standard analog/digital (A/D) converter. The image acquisition unit 102 is typically a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The image acquisition unit 102 is electrically connected to a controller 104, which is adapted to receive signals from the image acquisition unit 102 and to control the operation of the camera 100. The controller 104 is typically a logic unit such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor, or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The controller 104 is connected to a memory storage unit 106, which is adapted to store image data captured by the image acquisition unit. The memory storage unit 106 is fixed or removable. A fixed memory storage unit 106 is typically a hard drive, internal flash memory or other device. A removable memory storage unit 106 typically includes both a drive and a removable storage medium, such as a floppy disk, optical disk, flash memory, proprietary device, or other media. In some digital cameras, a communications interface 108 is electrically connected to the controller 104, allowing for contact with an external information handling system 120. The external information handling system 120 is typically a personal computer, Internet appliance, personal digital assistant, laptop computer, or other device adapted to store and process information. The communications interface 108 is typically an interface circuit or modem adapted to transfer image data from the memory storage unit 106 to the external information handling system 120. The camera 100 also typically includes a display 110 electrically connected to the controller 104. The display 110 is typically a liquid-crystal display (LCD) or other device that can display one or more images stored in the memory storage unit 106.
As a number of images are stored as image data in the memory storage unit 106, the memory storage unit 106 fills up. The user offloads those images from the memory storage unit 106, by removing the removable storage medium from the camera 100, by transmitting image data from the memory storage unit 106 to an external information handling system 120 via the communications interface 108, or by another method. When the image data is offloaded from the memory storage unit 106, it is typically deleted from the memory storage unit 106 to make room for new image data to be stored. Deleting offloaded images frees up storage space in the memory storage unit 106. However, the deleted images can no longer be viewed or transmitted from the camera 100, even though the storage space that had been occupied by the offloaded images may not be needed right away for storing new image data.